Indian-origin scientists claim human learning breakthrough

Updated: Thursday, May 15, 2014, 12:12 [IST]

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New York, May 15: Stimulation of a certain population of dopamine-containing neurons within the brain can alter the human learning process, claim two Indian-origin scientists, paving the way for rehabilitation after injury or addictive behaviours.

"Stimulating dopamine-containing neurons in a deep brain structure known as the substantia nigra can modify human learning," said neuroscience student Ashwin Ramayya from University of Pennsylvania and Amrit Misra from California-based Drexel University.

They suggest that the stimulation may have altered learning by biasing individuals to repeat physical actions that resulted in reward.

"Stimulating the substantia nigra as participants received a reward led them to repeat the action that preceded the reward, suggesting that this brain region plays an important role in modulating action-based associative learning," explained co-senior author Michael Kahana, a professor of psychology in Penn's school of arts and sciences.

During an awake portion of the procedure, participants played a computer game where they chose between pairs of objects that carried different reward rates (like choosing between rigged slot machines in a casino).

The objects were displayed on a computer screen and participants made selections by pressing buttons on hand-held controllers.

When stimulation was provided in the substantia nigra following reward, participants tended to repeat the button press that resulted in a reward.

"This is the first study to demonstrate in humans that electrical stimulation near these neurons can modify the learning process," said Gordon Baltuch, a professor of neurosurgery at University of Pennsylvania.